Son, back two months later: "I just want to compete and step on the track again"
The Frenchman returns to the circuit, after his back problems suffered at Roland Garros, and will do so at the Toronto ATP against Pablo Carreño.
May 29, 2025 may have been one of the best days of Arthur Fils' career, and also one of the worst. The Frenchman secured an epic five-set victory in front of his home crowd against Jaume Munar in the second round of Roland Garros (7-6(3), 7-6(3), 2-6, 0-6, 6-4), all while battling a back injury that severely limited his movement and eventually forced him to withdraw from the Parisian major and skip the entire grass court season.
So, two months after that fateful day, Fils is back in action, fully recovered from his back issues, aiming to regain lost ground in the past weeks. Nevertheless, the world number 21 is proceeding with caution, aware of the potential dangers of injuries in that area of his body. To begin, he faces a tough challenge in his debut at the ATP Toronto, where he will meet Pablo Carreño. Fils discussed his two-month absence and his expectations in an interview with ATP.
Reuniting with his peers
"I'm feeling great. It's been a while since I've seen my tour friends, so now I'm happy to be back. Of course, many things have changed in two months. I was fit, playing quite well. Now I'm back, still fit, but not playing well. But it's very nice to be back, and I'm enjoying it."
Using the break to be with his close circle
"When I'm off the tour, I have another life, of course. I have friends from my hometown, my family, and everything else. But upon returning to the Tour, it's always nice to see familiar faces like Gael Monfils, Ben Shelton, or Alejandro Davidovich. It's nice to come back and see these guys."
About his initial moments picking up a racket again
"When I stepped on the court, I was excited. Five minutes in, I was already frustrated. But it's nice to be playing again. I've been playing for ten days. I feel the level improving day by day. So, I'm quite happy."
Not setting high expectations
"I just want to get back to competing and stepping on the court. People cheering my name and me trying to play my best tennis or, at the very least, enjoy my time on the court," concludes a missed Fils on the tour, leaving us to wonder how long it'll take for him to become a threat again.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fils, de vuelta dos meses después: "Solo quiero volver a competir y pisar la pista"